Review: Happily Ever After Dessert Party

Looking for a way to get a great viewing spot for Happily Ever After fireworks at the Magic Kingdom without staking out long before the show?  Check out the Happily Ever After Dessert Party.

If you are planning an upcoming trip to the Magic Kingdom and are looking for a magical extra to add to your trip, you should consider booking a Happily Ever After dessert party.

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There are a few options for booking for this event:  the Fireworks dessert party with Plaza Garden Viewing, the After-Fireworks Dessert Party, and the Fireworks Dessert Party with Seated Terrace Viewing.  Here are important details about each of the three options:

1. Fireworks Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing

Start your night out at Tomorrowland Terrace, where a buffet of delicious goodies awaits you and your family.  Offerings include chocolate-dipped strawberries, character themed desserts, ice cream, create-your-own cookies and cupcakes, ooey gooey toffee cake, action station s’mores, savory snacks, fruits, cheeses, and more.  Drink selections include sparking cider, hot chocolate, signature lemonade, coffee, and tea.  As the night continues, cast members will escort you to the Plaza Garden for VIP viewing of the nighttime fireworks show in a roped off location only for paying guests of the dessert party.

Cost:  Now through January 31, 2020– $69 per adult (10 and up) and $41 per child (ages 3-9); Starting February 1, 2020– $79 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $47 per child (ages 3-9); Magic Kingdom Park Admission also required.

2.  After-Fireworks Dessert Party

Looking to enjoy the fireworks first and eat your dessert after?  The after-fireworks dessert party is the event for you.  Start your evening by meeting a cast member at Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant who will escort you to the VIP viewing location in the Plaza Garden, a location reserved only for paying guests of the dessert party.

After enjoying the amazing show, head back to Tomorrowland Terrace for access to all of the delicious dessert offerings listed above.  Beginning February 1, 2020, guests ages 21 and over can also choose from a selection of beer and wine.

Cost:  Now through January 31, 2020– $69 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $41 per child (ages 3-9); Starting February 1, 2020– $89 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $53 per child (ages 3-9); Magic Kingdom Park Admission also required.

3.  Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace

Interested in guaranteed table seating for fireworks viewing?  The Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace is the party for you!  Guests can enjoy the delicious dessert buffet listed above and also have access to a selection of beer and wine starting on February 1, 2020.  Then, enjoy the fireworks right from your seated table at Tomorrowland Terrace!

Cost:  Now through January 31, 2020– $84 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $50 per child (ages 3-9); Starting February 1, 2020– $99 per adult (ages 10 and up) and $59 per child (ages 3-9); Magic Kingdom Park Admission also required.

Our Experience

We booked option 1, the Fireworks dessert party with Plaza Garden Viewing, for our Magic Kingdom visit this summer.  After a late Fastpass for Enchanted Tales with Belle, our party made our way to Tomorrowland Terrace for dessert.  We arrived a little later than I had planned (approximately 8:15 p.m. for a 9:15 p.m. showing of Happily Ever After) and were one of the last groups to arrive for the dessert party.  This was not a problem at all, however, as a reserved table was marked for us, and the buffet was replenished frequently.

My family was escorted to our table and then we immediately had access to the dessert buffet.  There were so many great choices on the buffet for everyone.  My 2.5 year old son enjoyed all of the fresh fruit, cheese, and cupcakes while the adults in our party particularly loved the cheeseburger egg rolls, the push pop mousse, and the action station s’mores.   We did not eat supper before attending the dessert party so that we could get our money’s worth out of the food available.  There were enough savory options available that it worked as a meal for our family, extending the value of the party for our group.

Our family spent about a half hour at the buffet and then headed out to the viewing location for Happily Ever After at Tomorrowland Terrace.  We did not feel rushed and I certainly ate enough food to satisfy my sweet tooth!  We picked our location in the Plaza Garden at around 8:45 and spent time hanging out on the grass until the show began at 9:15.  This was definitely a much more relaxed environment than the surrounding non-reserved areas.  My son was able to walk around and play and we had significant space between our party and the other groups in the reserved area.  Our view of the castle and fireworks was picture perfect.  This was the last night of our Disney vacation and it made a perfect ending to an amazing trip!

I would recommend this dessert party if your group is looking for a way to guarantee a prime viewing location for the fireworks without having to reserve a spot hours in advance.  You can also make the party more cost effective if you do not eat supper beforehand and use the dessert buffet as your dinner for the evening.  This party works best for families with young children or groups with individuals who may struggle to view the fireworks from a non-reserved section.  It also is best for people who prefer to not be packed tightly in large crowds.  The upcoming price increases make this party a little more expensive than I’d hoped, but the addition of beer and wine to the After-Fireworks Party and to the party with viewing at Tomorrowland Terrace might make this event more appealing for some groups.

Overall, I think that the party, particularly the plaza garden viewing party, is still good value for the experience.  This is not an event I’d book every trip, especially with the price increases, but I think it is perfect for adding a little magic to the fireworks viewing experience at the Magic Kingdom.

Have you ever booked a dessert party at the Magic Kingdom?  What were your experiences?  Would you book again with the price increases?

-Jaelyn Winkle